Bowen Aquarium

Bowen Aquarium Sister campus to 🦁

Bowen Aquarium, the second campus to be built by East Coast Zoological Foundation, will show the beauty of natural Florida while serving as a conservation hub with an emphasis on the Indian River Lagoon.

Recently, our sister campus has seen several loggerhead sea turtles patients with severe human impact injuries, from fis...
08/25/2026

Recently, our sister campus has seen several loggerhead sea turtles patients with severe human impact injuries, from fishing hooks puncturing a gastrointestinal tract to propeller marks on a carapace to fishing line wrapped around flippers.

East Coast Zoological Foundation’s (ECZF) Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center at Brevard Zoo has unfortunately had to say goodbye to two of these turtles in an effort to prevent them from suffering from their extensive injuries. You can read about Sophia, Liberty and Falafel on the Zoo's blog: https://ow.ly/Tzbo50ZFchz

Derelict fishing gear is one of the major threats facing sea turtles today. While sometimes the effects of this gear is immediately obvious, other times the true impacts are just below the surface.

There is a critical need for more rehabilitation centers for sea turtles on Florida's East Coast. Our Aquarium's future Scaife Family Sea Turtle Care Complex will continue to integral work that ECZF began at Brevard Zoo over 10 years ago. Please consider supporting us as we work toward groundbreaking this winter: https://ow.ly/7Cno50ZFcmn

From sea turtle rehabilitation to habitat restoration, Bowen Aquarium will ensure a brighter future for our local marine habitats and the native wildlife we all love.

Happy World Stingray Day! 🌊 Do you know which three species of stingrays you will be able to see at Bowen Aquarium? Each...
08/15/2026

Happy World Stingray Day! 🌊

Do you know which three species of stingrays you will be able to see at Bowen Aquarium? Each of these species are native to the East Coast of Florida and play an important role in their ecosystems. Learn a little bit about them below!

Southern Stingray: These rays inhabit the east coasts of North and South America, stretching from the Northeastern United States down to Brazil. They are identifiable by their diamond-shaped bodies and long, thin tails. This species is near threatened with a decreasing population due to bycatch and overtourism in their native habitat.

Atlantic Stingray: This species primarily inhabits the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, but their range reaches all the way up to North Carolina. They are one of the smaller stingray species and have a rounded body shape with an elongated, pointed snout. Atlantic stingrays also face a decreasing population due to bycatch.

American Cownose Stingray: The cownose ray is one of the most distinguishable species due to the two rounded lobes at the front of their head. They use this anatomical feature to probe the seafloor when searching for prey. They have a similar range to the Southern stingray, stretching from Massachusetts to Uruguay. Like other ray species, bycatch is a leading cause of population decline.

Our aquarium’s immersive stingray habitat will help connect guests from around the world to these incredible and often misunderstood species. If you’d like to catch these majestic creatures in action before our opening, head to our sister campus, Brevard Zoo, to observe their Southern and Atlantic stingrays.

08/07/2026

Join us in celebrating the groundbreaking of Bowen Aquarium! 🌊

Show your support by signing our virtual welcome card, and your name will be displayed at our groundbreaking!

https://bowenaquarium.org/support-bowen/

Opt in to receive a free yard sign.

08/01/2026

We're finishing up strong with a roundup of shark facts from Brevard Zoo's Herps & Aquatics area supervisor, Jenna! 🦈🐢🐊

What similarity surprised you the most?

07/31/2026

Have you ever wondered what will go into caring for our future shark residents at Bowen Aquarium? Hear from Zach about the training, enrichment, and husbandry our sharks and animal care team will be working on, and his hopes for guests connecting with these incredible animals. Tune in tomorrow for our final post. 🌊

07/30/2026

Just in time for , enjoy a roundup of some of Dr. Toby’s favorite shark fun facts! 🦈

We can’t wait for our Shark Flats habitat to help guests connect with these amazing creatures, just like we have.

What’s your favorite shark fact⁉️

07/29/2026

Our Aquarium is going to offer immense research opportunities and collaborations that could help benefit many native animals, including several shark species! Dr. Toby and her students dedicate their time to learning more – and telling others – about what makes the sharks in our backyard so special. Learn what opportunities she sees being made possible once our Shark Flats habitat comes to life! 🧬🧪🦈

07/28/2026

It's , and we're celebrating by giving you a sneak peek at what our future Shark Flats habitat will look like. East Coast Zoological Foundation's Chief Zoological Officer, Jon, walks us through what makes this habitat so special, and why you will want to make it your first stop on opening day. 🦈🌊

Happy ! 🌊 This week, we’ll be sharing all about the different shark species we’ll be welcoming to our Bowen Aquarium's ...
07/27/2026

Happy ! 🌊 This week, we’ll be sharing all about the different shark species we’ll be welcoming to our Bowen Aquarium's Shark Flats habitat.

🦈Bull Shark: This species can be found in warm and shallow coastal waters across the globe, including right here in the Indian River Lagoon. Their iconic name comes from certain physical and behavioral traits of the species, including their wide, flat snouts.

🦈Blacktip Shark: Blacktip sharks can be found in warm, coastal waters worldwide. Their name derives from the distinctive black markings on the tips of their fins. They're known for their dramatic hunting methods, which often include them speeding quickly through the waters and making spinning leaps out of the water to catch prey.

🦈Bonnethead Shark: Bonnethead sharks are the smallest members of the hammerhead shark family. They’re found on both the East and West coasts of North and South America. They’re known for their sexual dimorphism, meaning the males and females have different physical characteristics. Males have a large bulge on their heads, contrasting with the smooth, rounded heads of females.

🦈Atlantic Nurse Shark: This nocturnal species inhabits the East Coast of North and South America. Nurse sharks are bottom-feeders, often feasting on shrimp, crab, and other invertebrates that roam the sandy sea floor. Their whisker-like barbels help them feel around the sand when hunting for prey.

It will be a momentous occasion when we finally welcome each of these shark species to our Bowen Aquarium’s Shark Flats habitat. All of these shark species face decreasing populations and are vulnerable or endangered in their native range. We hope that we can contribute to important breeding and conservation programs that will help boost these species’ populations while also demonstrating to our guests what makes sharks so special.

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Melbourne, FL
32940

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